New Reviews: Biography & Memoir

The limited time she had to campaign was just one of the many obstacles Kamala Harris had to overcome as the first woman of color to run for president. Though she's been accused of seeing herself as a victim in this revealing political memoir, the tone of her performance gently rejects that characterization. With her careful phrasing and clear enunciation, she sounds calm,... Read More

Listeners will be riveted by narrator Atli Gunnarsson as he recounts the many trials and tribulations that await explorers who trek to the North Pole. In 1994, Erling Kagge made that journey using nothing but his skis. In a strong Nordic accent, Gunnarsson brings to life both Kagge's personal experience and those of the explorers who came before him. He transports listeners to... Read More

This author-narrated audiobook blends memories and poems with some mind-bending moments--as Elizabeth Gilbert talks with her late lover and converses with God. A practiced speaker, Gilbert performs this excruciatingly honest work with passion and restraint. The memoir is about addiction and how Gilbert healed after the death of her friend, lover, global-traveling companion, and... Read More

Anna Caputo gives a terrific performance of this memoir about growing up deaf in a hearing world. While author Rachel Kolb is accomplished--she was the first signing deaf person to become a Rhodes Scholar--her writing is down-to-earth and relatable. With an intelligent, empathetic intonation, Caputo imparts Kolb's life story, including the many adjustments she needed to make to... Read More

For more than 24 stunning hours, narrator Ron Butler immerses listeners in the world of writer James Baldwin. This detailed biography structures Baldwin's life around his greatest loves, the people who filled so many of his thoughts. Baldwin travels the globe and makes a name for himself as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, but he's always drawn back to the... Read More

Narrator Shahjehan Khan's measured pace works well in imparting the author's goal to find a way to predict the monsoons in his home country of India. Listeners are presented with a thorough and entertaining autobiography of a boy who was born in a village without a school, who, nonetheless, secured an education, followed by positions at NASA, MIT, and the organization that... Read More

Actor Charlie Sheen, son of actor Martin Sheen and brother of actor Emilio Estevez, offers an unusual, bizarre, and extremely convoluted series of brief recollections, espousing his life philosophies and perspectives and occasionally referencing semi-chronological actual experiences. Sheen's narration is professional, warm, well enunciated, sincere, and appealing. Listeners... Read More

Author Ian Kelly brings both authority and warmth to his narration of his engaging look at the life and work of Antonin Carême, whom he bills as the first celebrity chef. Kelly lends an elegant rhythm to the historical details of Carême's rise from humble origins to renowned restaurateur. His steady pacing allows listeners to savor the richness of the early nineteenth century... Read More

Marni Penning brings cheerleader enthusiasm to this celebration of Claire McCardell, the pioneering early-twentieth-century American designer who thought women's clothes should be comfortable, as well as stylish. Maryland-born McCardell pioneered the kind of clothes we rely on today--ready-to-wear separates that can be mixed and matched into different outfits. She incorporated... Read More

Multiple narrators come together to create an audio portrait that is part biography, part celebration, and part theatrical tribute to author Douglas Adams, best known for THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. Arvind Ethan David's clear, engaging presence guides listeners through reflections on the life and work of the singular humorist. Archival contributions from Douglas Adams... Read More

It's impossible to overstate the power of hearing Palestinian writer Plestia Alaqad narrating her diaries of life under Israeli occupation. Delivering her audiobook in her melodic Arabic accent is a remarkable act of resistance in a war in which journalists are routinely targeted. Alaqad rose to prominence at the age of 21 for her reporting during the first six weeks of the... Read More

In this beautiful memoir, a 50-something woman and a South Indian businessman/climate activist fall in love--both for the first time. He dies shortly after they become engaged but reappears in her life to help her find love again. The ensuing conversations couldn't have been performed by anyone but author Alison Larkin, a veteran narrator known for her exceptional performances... Read More

Angela Buchdahl, senior rabbi at one of the most influential Reform synagogues in the country, tells her story with the same energetic, approachable delivery she employs in her public speaking. Her path to the rabbinate was anything but usual; Buchdahl was born in Seoul, South Korea, to an Asian Buddhist mother and a white Jewish father. Each biographical chapter of the... Read More

Before she became a famous poet, Maya Angelou was a dancer, singer, actor, activist, magazine writer and editor, and a university administrator. This audio version of her fourth memoir covers her life from 1957 to 1962, roughly from the time of her move to New York City--where she met, among others, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X--and then to Accra, Ghana. The story is... Read More

While listeners will miss his unmistakable voice, this assemblage of David McCullough's shorter uncollected pieces offers illuminating glimpses of the popular historian's work habits and methods. Commemorative speeches, his PARIS REVIEW interview, and his reflections on writing about Harry Truman, Abigail Adams, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Panama Canal remind listeners of... Read More

Hillary Huber's steady narration enhances this biography of the unlikely phenomenon that was Victoria Woodhull. Born in rural Ohio in 1838 to a con man and a spiritualist, Woodhull went from rags to riches twice and married thrice while reinventing herself during a long life. She was a spiritualist, a Christian, a free-love proponent, a stockbroker, a suffrage supporter, a... Read More

Narrator Diana Bustelo brings this travel memoir to life in a tone that adds depth and warmth. The audiobook recalls author Ursula Pike's experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador when she was in her late 20s. A member of the North American Karuk Tribe, Pike hopes to connect with Ecuador's Indigenous people. Yet, arriving from the U.S. with a degree in economics, she... Read More

Roderick Sewell II--Paralympic athlete and Iron Man champion, motivational speaker, and disability advocate--shares his resilience and joy in his impactful memoir. Sewell's performance exudes calm strength as he talks about the myriad challenges he and his mother faced during his childhood in San Diego and Alabama in the 1990s. Their difficulties included struggling to afford... Read More

A'Lelia Bundles narrates her biography of her great-grandmother, A'Lelia Walker, with pride. A'Lelia Walker was the daughter of the first wealthy African American woman, Madam C.J. Walker, who created a Black hair-care empire long before the Civil Rights movement. Bundles projects the excitement of the historical period in which A'Lelia--stubborn and loyal to a fault--set out... Read More

Susan Orlean, a NEW YORKER columnist and one of the early writers to bring inventiveness into creative nonfiction, shows her perfect sense of timing in both the writing and the narration of her memoir. Using the same thoughtful detail and pithy wit she's known for, Orlean now turns the lens inward, discussing her life and her extraordinary relationship with the creative... Read More

This audiobook written and read by award-winning journalist Sara Kehaulani Goo is the story of her family's property on the east side of Maui, which was given to them in 1848 by the King of Hawai'i. They never developed the land but continue to be committed to protecting their ownership. As the value of the land has increased, the taxes have risen, and it's become increasingly... Read More

Actor Javier Muñoz, who also starred in HAMILTON, delivers an engaging performance as he delivers this biography of playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda. Muñoz gives a much-deserved sense of joy to Pollack-Pelzner's careful research, amusing anecdotes, and quotes from Miranda, overlooking nothing from his early life to his later influences. Special attention is paid to Miranda's... Read More

This audiobook opens as an insightful biography of David Jochelmann, author Rachel Cockerell's grandfather, who helped found the State of Israel. The narrative evolves into an exploration of the Jewish migration to Texas, weaving in the stories of influential figures such as Emjo Basshe and others who shaped this unique chapter of history. Henry Goodman is an excellent... Read More

Arundhati Roy's moving performance illuminates her tumultuous experience of being raised in India by her fierce mother, Mary Roy, whom she refers to as "Mrs. Roy." Narrator Roy delivers her memoir in a calm, yielding voice that intensifies the hardships she overcame. Her mother worked miracles at her private school in Kerala, turning boys into gentlemen and teaching girls to... Read More

Any listener who was ever more than a casual fan of the band R.E.M. will find much of interest along with a good dose of nostalgia in this detailed history of the group. Mike Chamberlain provides a straightforward, steady, and clear narration with a bit of an edge, appropriate for a biography of a rock band. Notably, author Carlin doesn't include any firsthand interviews with... Read More

Journalist Ronan Farrow narrates his exploration of a socialite who was once Miss Arizona who is linked to attempted murder, jewel thieves, and accusations against a U.S. president. Ronan Farrow began investigating Cece Doane's credibility in regard to a series of messages she posted on social media, vetting her as a source for an article. What he discovered was a woman accused... Read More

Women's sports are experiencing increasing popularity, and author/narrator Christine Brennan posits that much of it has to do with the rise of basketball phenom Caitlin Clark. Brennan's clear, sometimes adulatory, prose is matched by her resonant tones and energetic cadence. Brennan recounts Clark's journey from the NCAA playoffs through her rookie year with the Indiana Fever.... Read More

This spirited memoir is narrated by its author, the talented, lovely actress Dylan Mulvaney. Her robust and delightful performance fully conjures the colorful life she's lived--from her first budding aspirations for the stage to the inspiring woman she is today. Of course, the audiobook heavily focuses on her gender transition later in life and the negative feedback she's... Read More

Karen Murray performs this must-listen biography of one of America's greatest writers. Science fiction and fantasy author Octavia Butler was an early trailblazer of Afrofuturism. Morris highlights how Butler's identity as a working-class Black woman informed her writing throughout her career. She was a deep thinker, ruminating on big questions around the foundation of American... Read More

Deaf poet Raymond Antrobus dazzles in this spellbinding account of his life as a mixed-race young man from East London. Born to an English mother and a Jamaican father, Antrobus always felt out of place. When he was 6, a doctor explained that he was deaf. Finding poetry revolutionized his relationship to sound and gave him the confidence to embrace his life as a member of the... Read More

Golden Voice Narrator JD Jackson, whose tone and style elevate any audiobook, smoothly narrates NBA superstar Stephen Curry's memoir/self-help audiobook. First, the all-time three-point leader himself delivers his prologue, in which he sets forth how he became "shot ready" on the court and in life. Then, in a humble tone that reflects the writing, Jackson captures the... Read More

Christine Brown Woolley, one of the wives in TLC's "Sister Wives" series, bares her soul in this candid memoir about polygamous life, leaving behind what no longer serves you, and finding yourself in the broken pieces. In 2010, Woolley became a household name through the TV show, which broadcast episodes of the daily lives of an Apostolic United Brethren family, the Browns.... Read More

This audiobook, narrated by Bobbi Brown herself, traces her path from makeup artist to industry expert--from being at the whim of whichever magazines would invite her to fashion shoots to being quoted in those same publications. Brown is an engaging storyteller with perfect pacing. She infuses every memory with the perfect amount of emotion: a well-timed pause after a... Read More

More than 50 years ago, Bruce Springsteen set out to make an album--not just any album, one that had to be just right, perfect rock and roll. Through that diligence, attention to detail, collaboration, and long days and nights, the seminal BORN TO RUN album was created. Peter Ames Carlin narrates his own work, and he does it well, song by song. Through clear enunciation and... Read More

Carol Moseley Braun, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, delivers the prologue to her remarkable story. Then, Golden Voice Narrator Bahni Turpin takes over, weaving Braun's journey of grit, resilience, and groundbreaking achievement into a compelling listening experience. Through Braun's life and career in law and politics, listeners also gain a vivid window onto... Read More

Acclaimed novelist Miriam Toews narrates her haunting and, at times, funny memoir, which explores why she writes. In a conversational tone, Toews recounts mundane memories while unpacking her profound grief at losing both her father and sister to death by suicide. Through her writing and narration, Toews injects witty quips to break up the tragic subject matter, delivering her... Read More

Actor Tim Curry narrates his memoir recounting five decades of his work on stage, screen, and television. Curry's early life gave him the "heart of a vagabond," a path he's continued throughout a diversity of famed roles. As only he can, Curry gives detailed views of his legendary parts in movies such as THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and SPAMALOT. His narration conveys his... Read More

This extensive, thoughtful, and well-researched biography of the martial arts great Bruce Lee smoothly draws the listener in. Lee was an enigma in some ways, and author Chang has captured his life, which was cut short at age 32. Narrator James Chen deftly uses slight shifts in his voice when delivering quotes. He maintains control of his tone, making shifts when appropriate but... Read More

If you associate the Jane Austen you learned about in school with the words "prim" and "proper," then you need to listen to what one of the leading scholars of Austen's work has to say about the famous writer. This audiobook, which covers Austen's full body of work--the early short stories, as well as the published novels--adds greatly to the existing literature around the... Read More